Method of making electric circuit assemblies



Aug. 31, 1965 J. H. FOSTER ETAL 3,203,075

METHOD OF MAKING ELECTRIC CIRCUIT ASSEMBLIES Original Filed June 19, 1956 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR Aug. 31, 1965 J. H. FOSTER ETAL 3,203,075

METHOD OF MAKING ELECTRIC CIRCUIT ASSEMBLIES Original Filed June 19, 1956 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG- 9 N INVENTORS p I: ar Mu Aug. 31, 1965 J. H. FOSTER ETAL 3,203,075

METHOD OF MAKING ELECTRIC CIRCUIT ASSEMBLIES Original Filed June 19, 1956 '7 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR-Y p 9% 1965 J. H. FOSTER ETAL 3,203,075

METHOD OF MAKING ELECTRIC CIRCUIT ASSEMBLIES Original Filed June 19, 1956 '7 Sheets-Sheet 4 44 47 & 44 47 m 45 PK; 16 45 k V a? 58 F'QZ/ QM @m J. H. FOSTER ETAL 3,203,075

METHOD OF MAKING ELECTRIC CIRCUIT ASSEMBLIES 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Aug. 31, 1965 Original Filed June 19, 1956 II ll INVENTORS fwim 31, 1965 J. H. FOSTER ETAL 3,203,075

METHOD OF MAKING ELECTRIC CIRCUIT ASSEMBLIES Original Filed June 19, 1956 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 55 F|C1Z 5 a0 93 l )F k 94 )2 F Pff: 1 i I: 11?] FIC'125 IN V EN TORJ Aug. 31, 1965 J. H. FOSTER ETAL METHOD OF MAKING ELECTRIC CIRCUIT ASSEMBLIES Original Filed June 19, 1956 '7 Sheets-Sheet 7 FIG.Z7 86 m r a 2: x W {\N/I 62 33 x w BYmZSZI V A Wm United States Patent 3,203,075 METHOD OF MAKING ELECTRIC CIRCUIT ASSEMBLIES James H. Foster and Philip E. Sterner, Erie, Pa., assignors to Erie Technological Products, Inc., a corporation of Pennsylvania Original application June 19, 1956, Ser. No. 592,460, now Patent No. 2,970,369, dated Feb. 7, 1961. Divided and this application Dec. 8, 1960, Ser. No. 74,537

10 (Ilaims. (Cl. 29-1555) This is a division of application Serial No. 592,400, filed June 19, 1956, now Patent 2,970,369.

This invention is intended to manufacture electric circuit assemblies each consisting of a plurality of interconnected circuit elements with terminals for making connections to the assembly. In electronic circuits, such assemblies may be used in the input and output of tubes, transistors, diodes, etc.

The specifications of the circuit assemblies depends on the use. Typically, the circuit assemblies may consist of from four to nine circuit elements such as resistors, inductances, transistors, diodes and capacitors. Not only will the resistors and capacitors vary in size with the desired end use of the assembly, but the circuit interconnections will also vary. The manufacturer of the circuit assemblies, accordingly, must be able to accommodate changes in the number of circuit elements for each assembly, changes in the kind and size of those elements, and changes in the inter-connections between the elements and in the terminals for making connections to the assemblies. All of these can be accommodated in the apparatus presently to be described.

In the accompanying drawings, FIG. 1 is a plan view of an electric circuit assembly; FIG. la is an end view; FIG. 1b shows one of the components; FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a strip for making a plurality of the FIG. 1 circuit assemblies; FIG. 3 is a, similar view of the strip with element receiving clips attached thereto; FIG. 4 shows the circuit elements mounted in the clips; FIG. 5 shows the individual circuit assemblies cut from the strip; FIG. 6 is a plan view and FIG. 7 is an edge view of a complete circuit assembly; FIG. 8 is a side view, partly in section, of loading equipment; FIG. 9 is a front view of the loading equipment; FIG. 10 is an enlarged view illustrating the assemly or loading of a circuit element into one of the clips on the strip; FIG. 11 is a plan of the magazine used in the loading equipment; FIG. 12 is an enlarged view of one of the clamping members of the magazine; FIG. 13 is an edge view of the magazine; FIG. 14 is a section through a cut off die for removing unwanted terminals; FIG. 15 is a fragmentary section through a forming die for offsetting the prongs of the terminals, the die being shown at the start of the forming operation; FIG. 16 shows the position of the forming die at the end of the forming operation; FIG. 17 is a side view of one of the prongs showing the operation of the forming die; FIG. 18 is a side view of a prong adjacent the FIG. 17 prong which is dilferently formed; FIG. 19 is a top plan view of the cut oil? machine; FIG. 20 is a fragmentary view of the clamp holding the strip against the saw table; FIG. 21 is a fragmentary view of the clamp holding the cut off assemblies in the same relation as existed prior to cut ofi"; FIG. 22 is a front view of the labelling machine; FIG. 23 is a side view of the labelling machine; FIG. 24 is an edge view of another form of holder for the circuit assemblies; FIG. 25 is a plan view of the holder; FIG. 26 is an enlarged view showing the holder gripping two terminal prongs; FIG. 27 is a front view partly broken away of a cut off saw; FIG. 28 is a sectional end elevation showing the relation 70 of the cut ofl. saws and the strip holding saw table; and

FIG. 29 is a fragmentary top plan view.

3,203,075 Patented Aug. 31, 1965 ice In FIGS. 1 and 1a, there is shown a typical electric circuit assembly consisting of a base 1 of insulating material on which are mounted a plurality of electric circuit elements 2. Along one edge is a plurality of plugin prongs 3 for making connection to the circuit assembly. The entire assembly is embedded in an insulating coating 4 which covers the circuit elements, the interconnections between the circuit elements, and the connections between the circuit elements and the prongs 3. The circuit assembly may, for example, be a filter or coupling network for use in an electronic circuit. While the circuit assembly may contain a large number of electric circuit elements and there may be a great many of inter-connections between those circuit elements in order to meet the requirements of a particular circuit, all of these are sealed in the protective insulating coating 4. The manufacturer using such a circuit assembly need only make connections to the projecting metallic prongs 3. This materially reduces the labor of making electronic circuits since the manufacturer no longer need handle individual circuit elements or make the interconnections between the individual single circuit ele-,

ments. Instead, the manufacturer handles a circuit assembly to which only relatively few connections need be made. Because of economies in manfacture which may be eifected by elimination of the leads and insulating coating for the individual components, the cost of an assembly of a plurality of components is not appreciably different from the cost of the individual components when purchased separately.

The components for use in the circuit assembly are of the same physical dimensions so that the components are interchangeable in the circuit assembly. One such component is illustrated in FIG. lb. The component has a cylindrical body 5 with terminals 6 at opposite ends. If the component is a resistor, the body 5 may be of one of the molded plastic resistance mixes. The resistance may vary from a few ohms to a number of megohms depending upon the composition of the mix. The terminals 6 may be metal caps molded unto the ends of the bodies or sprayed metal surfaces. If the component is a capacitor, the body 5 may be of tubular ceramic with inner and outer electrode coatings and the terminals 6 may be extensions of those electrode coatings. By choice of the ceramic, the capacitance will vary over a wide range. Whether the component is a resistor or a capacitor, the spacing and size of the terminals 6 will be the same.

FIGS. 2 to 7, inclusive, show various stages in the manufacture of a plurality of electric circuit assemblies. Most usually these assemblies will comprise from four to nine resistors and capacitors. In FIGS. 2 to 7, the assembly illustrated has five of these circuit components identified by the letters a to e, inclusive, any one of which may be a resistor or a con-denser of any desired value.

The circuit assemblies are made in long strips which are cut off after manufacture to the desired length so that the individual circuit assemblies will contain the proper number of components. As shown in FIG. 2, the strip 7 of insulating material has spaced openings 8 and 9 arranged along opposite edges of the strip. On the under surface of the strip, as indicated by dotted lines, there are printed electric connections such as indicated at 10 and 11. These connections vary with the kind of circuit assembly to be made so that in this sense the strip 7, after the application of the printed connections 10 and 11, can only be used for the manufacture of one kind of electric circuit assembly. From the point of view of handling, it is convenient to have all of the strips 7 of the same physical dimension no matter what kind of circuit assembly is to be made because many of the operations to be performed are the same no matter what kind of electric circuit assembly is to be made. The strip 7, for example, may contain ninety-one of the holes 8 and 9, in which case it can be used to make fifteen of the five component circuit assemblies at one time. Ordinarily, the holes 8 and 9 will be punched after the printed wiring 10 and 11 has been applied. The holes 8 and 9 will be in the same position no matter what kind of printed wiring is used so that this is one of the operations which is entirely independent of the kind of circuit assembly to be made.

As described in greater detail in Patent No. 2,898,519, after the punching operation, clips 12 and 13 are stapled to the strip. Each of the clips has integral stapling arms 12a which extend through adjacent openings 8 or 9 as the case may be and are clinched to the section 14 between adjacent openings. The clips 12 and 13 are identical except that the clips 13 have prongs 3 with half round ends 15 as disclosed in that application which are used for making connections to the circuit assembly. The clips 12 and 13 may be applied uniformly throughout the entire length of the strip 7 or the clips may be applied in groups with one of the spaces 14 between each group left blank. If the latter procedure were followed with the five element assembly, the clip applying machine would apply five clips in succession and then skip one space and then start applying five clips repeating until the entire strip was filled with clips.

After the clips have been fastened to the strip, groups of components as shown in FIG. are loaded into the clips. It will be noted that there is a space between each group and that the components in each group are arranged in the same order as indicated by the identifying letter. The loading of the components for the entire length of the strip can be done at one time by apparatus to be described. After the loading, the unwanted prongs 3 are cut oil, the remaining prongs are formed to the desired shape, and the sections 16 between adjacent groups of circuit elements are cut out leaving the completed circuit assemblies which after dipping in insulating material and marking or coding reach the finished stage shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. The foregoing is not a complete outline of all of the steps to be performed in the manufacture of the electric circuit assemblies but it indicates generally how the circuit assemblies are made.

As is evident from the general description, it is necessary that the proper components be loaded in each pair of clips 12 and 13. Apparatus by which this loading operation is accomplished simultaneously throughout the entire length of the strip is disclosed in FIGS. 8 through 13, inclusive. To insure that the components are properly located in the strip, the individual components of each size and kind are loaded in a separate hollow tube 17 and the properly loaded tubes are arranged side by side in a magazine with the tubes on the same spacing as the clips. The magazine has clamping members 18 and 19 each of which has V clamping faces 20 for each of the tubes 17 as is diagrammatically shown in FIG. 12. The clamping members need not extend throughout the full length of the tubes. As shown in FIG. 11, there are three pair of clamping members 18 and 19 rigidly connected by rods 21 and 22 and held together by clamping nuts 23 at the 'four corners. It is relatively easy to load components of the same kind into the hollow tubes 17 and since there may be a hundred or more components in each of the tubes 17, the labor of loading the tubes 17 into the magazine or clamping fixture in the proper order is very to the finished circuit assembly.

The actual placing of the components in the clips is done in the press shown in FIGS. 8, 9 and 10. On one side of the press is a plurality of spaced arcuate delivery tubes 25 on the same spacing as the tubes 17 in the magazine. The upper end of the tubes 25 is in a support 26 on which the magazine is mounted. When so mounted, the tubes 17 holding the components register with the delivery tubes 25 so that as the gate 24 is slid away from the lower end of the tubes 17, the components fall by gravity down into the delivery tubes 25. The components pass through the lower or delivery end 27a of the tubes 25 into arcuate grooves 27 in a stationary bed 28 on the press. A stop plate 29 positions the components so that the terminal surfaces 6 are in alignment with the downwardly presented clips 13 and 14 on the strip 7 which is suitably fastened to the underside of the platen 30 of the press. The strip can be accurately indexed and positioned on the platen by means of pins 31 fitting in the holes 8 and 9. By means of an air cylinder 32, the platen 30 is moved downward and the clips in effect are pressed onto the terminal surfaces 6 and pick the components out of the arcuate grooves 27. The relation of the clips to the terminal surfaces 6 on the components and the grooves 27 in the bed of the press is more clearly shown in the enlarged view, FIG. 10. It will be noted from this view that the components can be readily supported in the grooves 27 and that the downward pressure of the clips has little tendency to break the components. This arrangement is much simpler than as though the components were somehow held on the underside of the platen 30 of the press and were pressed downward into clips supported on the bed 28 of the press. The components are merely held by gravity in the grooves 27 which provide the complete support for the components. Since the grooves 27 accurately register with the clips on the strip 7, all of the components can be loaded into the clips at one time. As the upper platen 30 of the press is lifted, another component slides out of each delivery tube into its groove 27 so that when a new strip is loaded on the underside of the upper platen 30, the press is ready for immediate closing to load the components into the clips of that new strip.

It will be noted that this loading press is entirely independent of the kind and number of components to be loaded. The kind of components is determined by the leading into the tubes 17 of the magazine. It makes no difference whether the component is a resistor or a capacitor. It also makes no difference whether the components are loaded in groups of five or in any other pattern. If it were necessary, the entire ninety clips could be loaded at one time without in any way changing the operation. Before the components are loaded into the clips 13 and 14, it is desirable that the prongs 3 which are not needed be cut off. This can be done in a simple cut off die having a section 32a for receiving the strip 7 with the clips 13 and 14 located in recesses 33 and 34-. When so located, the prongs 3 project into the path of cut off punches 35 which cooperate with the section 32a to sever the unwanted prongs. Since the number of prongs to be cut off will vary with each kind of circuit assembly, the cut off punches 35 have to be set up for each circuit assembly. In the construction shown, the punches 35 are inserted between bottom and top holders 36 and 37 and are held in place by retaining pins 38. In general, less than half of the prongs will be cut off so that while the die will have a station opposite each of the prongs 3, there will be punches 35 at less than half of these stations in any circuit assembly.

Following the cut ofi operation, the prongs 3 may be formed so that alternate prongs are offset alternately to one and to the other side of the strip 7. From a side view, the prongs 3 after forming appear to have angular sections 39 and 40 connecting the prongs to the clips. The angular sections 39 are formed tight against the edge of the strip 7 whilethe angular sections 40 are offset away from the strip 7. These forming operations are accomplished in the die indicated in FIG. where there are upper and lower platens 41 and 42 which move toward each other during the forming operation. The lower platen 42 has alternate punches 43 which have rounded upper ends 44 fitting in the underside of the half round ends 15 of the prongs 3. The punches 43 are spring loaded by springs 45 so that they retract as the upper platen descends. The lower platen also has fixed punches 46 with similarly rounded upper ends 47 fitting the underside of the half round ends 15 of the prongs 3. The upper platen 41 has rigid sections 48 opposite the spring loaded punches 43 and has retractable sections 49 loaded by springs 50 opposite the punches 46. In the operation of the press, the platens 41 and 42 move toward each other and the prongs 3 are oifset the distance required by the movement of the rigid parts 46 and 48. Only the forming parts of the die are illustrated, but it is obvious that the die must contain some part for supporting the strip 7 during the terminal or prong forming operation.

After the component loading and terminal cut off and forming operations, the terminals of the individual components are preferably soldered to the clips and soldered connections are also made between the clips and the wiring carried by the strip 7. Because of the fact that all of the soldered connections are precisely located with respect to the strip 7, the soldering can be carried out by machine. Since apparatus for performing the soldering operations automatically is well known, it need not be illustrated for the purpose of this application. Dip soldering may be used. Apparatus such as shown in Patent No. 2,870,532, January 27, 1959, Francis R. Young, may also be used.

The individual sections or circuit assemblies are now cut from the strip 7 by apparatus illustrated in FIGS. 19, and 21. FIG. 19 shows the cut oif saw having an arbor 51 carrying pairs of saws 52 spaced apart from each other the distance between adjacent holes 8 or 9 so as to cut out the sections of the strip 7 between adjacent circuit assemblies. In the case of the five element circuit assembly illustrated in this application, there will be fourteen pairs of saws 52 so that at the end of the cutting operation, there will be fifteen five element circuit assemblies made from the strip 7. The number of saws 52 and the number of circuit assemblies made from the strip obviously must vary with the number of elements in each circuit assembly. FIG. 20 shows the holder for the strips which located the strips with reference to the saws and holds the strip firmly during the cut off operation. The holder is guided on guideways 53 and 54 at opposite ends of the arbor 51. The strip is mounted on a bottom plate 55 having slots 56a for accommodating the saws 52.

The strip 7 is clamped against the upper surface of the holder 55 by a bar 56 having depending clamping fins 57 which are thin enough to extend between adjacent circuit elements 2. When the bar 56 is clamped against the holder 55, the strip is firmly held against the holder so that the saws 52 can make clean cuts through the strip. The saws 52 need only project above the holder 55 a distance slightly more than the thickness of the strip 7 of insulating material, since once the strip 7 is severed, the circuit assemblies are separated from the strip. At the same time that the strip is clamped between the parts 55 and 56, the half round ends 15 of the prongs 3 are clamped between upper and lower clamping members 57 and 58 which have clamping surfaces offset in the same manner as the prongs. The upper member 57 has alternate shallow and deep slots 59 and 60 and the lower clamping member has alternate low and high projections 61 and 62 complementary to the slots 59 and 60. Accordingly, when the clamping bars 57 and 58 are clamped together, the prongs 3 are gripped by their half round ends 50 and are firmly located in the same position they occupied at the end of the forming operation. At the end of the cut 01f operation, when the circuit assemblies are severed from the strip 7, the clamping members 55 and 56 are released but the clamping members 57 and 58 are not released so that the assemblies occupy with relation to these clamping members the same position they occupied with relation to the strip 7. From one aspect, the clamping members 57 and 58 now function as a holder for the circuit assemblies.

By using the clamping members 57 and 58 as a holder, the circuit assemblies may be dipped in insulating material which will form an insulating case protecting the components and the soldered connections to the clips and to the wiring. Because the half round ends 15 of the prongs 3 are clamped between the members 57 and 58, these ends can easily be kept out of the insulating material and will remain clean. The dipping can be followed by a drying or curing operation in which the insulating material is set up to form an insulating case. During this drying operation, the clamping members 57 and 58 serve as supports for groups of the circuit assemblies.

At the end of the drying operation, the circuit assemblies must be labelled which can be conveniently done with the apparatus illustrated in FIGS. 22 and 23. The circuit assemblies while still fastened between the clamping members 57 and 58 are laid face down on a table 63 so that between each circuit assembly there is a space 64 which registers with a cutting blade 65 carried by a bar 66 at one end of an arm 67 hinged at 68 to a base 69. For the five element circuit assemblies described, there will be fourteen cutting blades 59. The table 63 may have a sponge rubber facing 70 and a similar sponge rubber facing 71 may be on the underside of the bar 66. Because the circuit assemblies are precisely located with respect to the clamping members 57 and 58, it is easy to use these clamping members as locators for positioning the circuit assemblies on the table 63 so that the circuit assemblies will line up with the cutting blade 65. The actual labelling is effected by a strip 72 of adhesive tape carrying the appropriate legend which extends the full length of the circuit assemblies and carries appropriate legends identifying the assemblies. After the circuit assemblies are laid on the table, the strip 72 is laid across the circuit assemblies and the arm 67 is swung downward first to press the strip into adhesive contact with the back surface of the assemblies and second to force the cutting blade 65 down between the assemblies and to sever the adhesive strips. The circuit assemblies are now ready for packaging and shipment.

In FIGS. 24 to 29, inclusive, is shown another arrangement for cutting off the individual circuit assemblies and for holding the cut off assemblies while subsequent operations are performed. In the cut off machine shown in FIGS. 27 to 29, inclusive, there is a saw table 73 mounted on rollers 74 on a base 75. At each end of the saw table is a clamp 76 having a clamping member 77 which engages a longitudinal clamping bar 78 faced on its underside with sponge rubber or equivalent resilient material 79. The clamping bar 78 is guided at each end on posts 80 and is urged upward away from the saw table by springs 81. At the back of the clamping bar 78 is a stop 82 which projects below the back edge of the saw table 73 and has slots 83 registering with the center lines of the square holes 8 and 9 in the strip 7 on which the electric circuit assemblies are mounted. Since the cut off machine is intended to accommodate any of the circuit assemblies which may be assembled on the strip 7, for the particular strip illustrated where there are ninety-one holes 8 and 9 there will be eighty-nine of the slots 83. The reason there are two less of the slots 83 than there are holes 8 and 9 is that it will never be necessary to cut through the end holes in the strip 7. The saw table 73 has similar slots 84 which form continuations of the slots 83. At the front, the saw table has a handle 85 for moving it forward and backward on the rolls 74. Suitable stops such as pin 86 and slot 87 limit the movement of the saw table.

- When the saw table is in its forward position, a strip 7 is laid on the table with its rear edge against the backing member 82 and with the terminal prongs 3 projecting toward the front of the saw table. The components are on the upper face of the strip 7 presented toward the sponge rubber facing 75% on the clamping bar and are located between the slots 84 on the saw table. With the strip thus located the clamping bar 78 is lowered into clamping engagement with the components by means of the clamp 76. The sponge rubber facing 79 conforms to the components and firmly holds the smooth undersurface of the strip 7 against the saw table. As the saw table is slid backward, saws 88 on an arbor 89 cut through the strip at the desired locations so that at the end of the sawing operation only the individual sections or circuit assemblies have been cut from the strip. For the five component circuit assembly illustrated, there would be fifteen separate circuit assemblies at the end of the sawing operation.

Before releasing the clamps 76, it is desirable that the separate circuit assemblies be gripped by a holder to carry through the succeeding operations. Such a holder is illustrated in FIGS. 24, 25 and 26 and comprises upper and lower bars 90, 91 fastened together at the back by screws 92 and having fastened therebetween a bar 93 of thickness corresponding to the space between offset terminals on the circuit assemblies. The bar 93 projects beyond the front edges of the bars 90 and 91 and the projecting edge is suitably rounded or tapered so that it will readily enter in the space between the terminal prongs 15. The front edges of the bars 90 and 91 have slots 94 for receiving and frictionally gripping the terminal prongs 15. Both the upper and lower bars 90 and 91 have sufficient slots 94 to receive the terminal prongs 15 so that under any arrangement of the terminal prongs there will always be a slot 94 to receive each terminal prong 15 remaining in the circuit assemblies.

In use, prior to the loosening of the clamps 76, a holder is laid on the saw table with its back engaging plungers 95 on air cylinders 96 carried by the saw table and with its slotted front edge presented toward and registering with the terminal prongs on the circuit assemblies. When the saw table has been moved backward away from the saws 88, the air cylinders 96 can safely push the holders onto the prongs 15. Since the circuit assemblies are securely held by the clamping bar 78, the terminal prongs 15 in the circuit assemblies register with the notches 94. If the holder were forced onto the terminal prongs before the cut off operation, the holder would interfere with the saws 88. By attaching the holder to the terminal prongs after the sawing operation, there is no danger of interference with the saws. After the holders have been forced onto the prongs 15, the circuit assemblies are held in the same position they occupied while attached to the strip 7 in the same manner as by the clamp of FIG. 21 and the succeeding operations of applying the insulating case and labelling the circuit assemblies can be carried out in the same manner as that described in conjunction with the clamp of FIG. 21.

Although there are a great many variations in the kind of circuit assembly, the equipment is not greatly affected by these variations. If the strips 7 carry printed wiring, it must be that required by the kind of circuit assembly. The magazine tubes 17 must be loaded with the proper kind and side of component. The die for cutting off unwanted terminals (FIG. 14) must be set up to leave untouched the terminals which are to remain. The saws in the cut old? machine (FIG. 19 or FIGS. 27-29) must be set up to cut the strip between the groups of components and a similar set up made in the labelling machine (FIG. 22). Except for these, the equipment is unaffected by the kind of circuit or the components used.

What is claimed as new is:

1. The method of making electric circuit assemblies each having components having pin-like bodies with terminals at each end which comprises fastening to a strip of insulating material of length sufficient to make a plurality of assemblies (a) a printed wiring pattern for making the desired circuit interconnection between the components of each assembly and (b) an aligned pair of regularly spaced clips for the end terminals of each components to each assembly along separate paths transsome part of the patterns and with one clip of each pair having a plug-in prong projecting from the strip, feeding components to each assembly along separate paths transverse to the strip into positions of the same regular spacing as the respective pairs of clips, pressing the components and clips together as a group to electrically and mechanically connect the clips to the end terminals of the components, performing further operations on the prongs, cutting the strip into individual assemblies, and holding the individual assemblies by the prongs while applying a protective coating to the strip and the components assembled thereon.

2. The method of making electric circuit assemblies from components having pin-like bodies with terminals at each end which comprises fastening to a strip of insulating material (a) a printed wiring pattern for making the desired circuit interconnection between the components of the assembly and (b) an aligned pair of clips for the end terminals of each component of the assembly with some of the clips making contact with some part of the pattern, feeding components along a separate path for each component to a position on a support in which each component is aligned with its respective pair of clips and pressing the strip toward the components with the clips presented to engage and grasp the terminals of the components to bring the clips into electrical and mechanical connection with the clips.

3. The method of claim 2 in which the separate paths are chute-like and extending transverse to the strip with the components end to end.

4. The method of making an electric circuit assembly from components having pin-like bodies with terminals at each end which comprises fastening to a strip of insulating material having rows of index holes along opposite edges (01) a printed wiring pattern for making the desired circuit interconnection between the components having some parts of the pattern between adjacent index holes and (b) an aligned pair of clips for the end terminals of each component with the fastening means for the individual clips straddling adjacent index holes and contacting said parts of the pattern, feeding a group of components along separate paths transverse to the strip to positions on a support in alignment with the respective pairs of clips, locating the strip by the index holes and pressing the strip toward the support with the clips presented to the group of components to cause the clips to grasp the end terminals of the components and electrically and mechanically be connected to the same, and moving the strip away from the support to lift the group of components off the support.

5. The method of claim 4 in which the individual components are fed toward the support end to end along separate chute-like paths whereby lifting one group of components off the support is followed by the feeding of another group of components to the support.

6. The method of making one or more electric circuit assemblies each having a definite number and kind of various components with terminals at each end which comprises fastening to a strip of insulating material (a) a printed Wiring pattern for making the desired circuit interconnection between the selected number of components for each assembly and (b) an aligned pair of clips for the end terminals of each component with some of the clips making contact with some part of the pattern and with one clip of each pair having a plug-in prong projecting from the strip, said clips having a regular spacing along the length of the strip whereby as the number of components of each assembly is selectively varied the relative spacing of the clips remains unchanged, feeding the components for each assembly along separate paths transverse to the strip to positions on a support with the same spacing between components as between clips, pressing the support and strip together to electrically and mechanically engage the terminals of each component with its pair of clips, removing the unwanted prongs and cutting the strip into individual assemblies, and applying a protective coating to the individual assemblies while holding the assemblies by the prongs.

7. The method of making one or more electric circuit assemblies each having a definite kind and number of various circuit components having bodies with terminals at each end which comprises forming along opposite edges of a strip of insulating material of length sufficient to make the assemblies aligned pairs of index holes, fastening to the strip (a) a printed wiring pattern for making the desired circuit interconnection between the selected number of components for each assembly with parts of the pattern between adjacent holes and (b) an aligned pair of clips for the end terminals of each component with the clips between adjacent holes and making contact with said parts of the pattern and with one clip of each pair having a plug-in prong projecting from the strip, said holes, clips, and prongs having a regular spacing along the length of the strip whereby as the number of components of each assembly is selectively varied the relative spacing of said holes, clips and prongs to automatic feeding equipment is unchanged, feeding the selected kind and number of components along separate paths transverse to the strip to positions on a support with the same spacing between components as between clips, pressing the support and strip together to electrically and mechanically engage the terminals of each component with its pair of clips, removing the unwanted prongs and cutting the strip into individual assemblies and applying a protective coating to the individual assemblies while using portions of said regularly spaced parts to locate the assemblies.

8. The method of making one or more electric circuit assemblies each containing a definite number and kind of various pin-like circuit components with terminals at each end and circuit interconnections which comprises, forming on a strip of insulating material aligned pairs of index holes at regularly spaced intervals and a pattern of printed wiring for circuit interconnections with parts of the pattern between adjacent holes, fastening along one edge of the strip in electrical contact with said parts of the pattern spaced clips with fastening means extending through and straddling adjacent holes, said clips having plug-in prongs projecting beyond said one edge of the strip, applying along the opposite edge of the strip in electrical contact with said parts of the pattern other correspondingly spaced clips respectively aligned with the first clips and with fastening means extending through and straddling adjacent holes, feeding a row of pin-like components along separate paths into positions of the same regular spacing as the clips, relatively moving the strip and row of components toward each other to press the end terminals of the components into the clips, and 60 thereafter utilizing the regularly spaced holes and prongs for locating the assemblies for finishing operations including cutting the strip into individual assemblies and applying an insulating coating.

9. The method of making a plurality of electric circuit asemblies each having a plurality of various circuit components of definite kind and number having bodies with terminals at each end which comprises forming along opposite edges'of a strip of insulating material of length sufficient to make the assemblies a row of aligned pairs of index holes, fastening to the strip (a) a printed wiring pattern for making the desired circuit interconnection between the selected number of components for each assembly with parts of the pattern between adjacent holes and (b) and aligned pair of clips for the end terminals of each component with the clips betwen adjacent holes and making contact with said parts of the pattern and with one clip of each pair having a plug-in prong projecting from the strip, said holes, clips, and prongs having a regular spacing along the length of the strip whereby as the number of components of each assembly is selectively varied the relative spacing of the holes, clips and prongs to automatic feeding equipment is unchanged, feeding simultaneously a row of the selected kind and number of components along separate paths transverse to the strip to positions on a support with the same spacing between components as between clips, pressing the support and strip together to electrically and mechanically engage the terminals of each component with its pair of clips, separating the strip from the support to lift the row of components as a group from the support, feeding a new row of components as a group to the support as the previous row is removed, removing the unwanted prongs and cutting the strip into individual assemblies and applying a protective coating to the individual assemblies while using portions of said regularly spaced parts to locate the assemblies.

10. The method of manufacture of a group of electric circuit assemblies consisting of a plurality of groups of components mounted on the strip of insulating material, each group of components comprising a single circuit assembly and the components being uniformly spaced along the strip, terminal prongs projecting from each circuit assembly, which comprises cutting the strip between the assemblies, and gripping the terminal prongs in the same position relative to the strip occupied prior to cutting to maintain the assemblies in fixed relation while an insulating coating is applied to the assemblies.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,334,004 11/43 Herzog 29155.5 X 2,607,821 8/52 Van Arsdell 29155.5 2,613,861 10/52 Goerlitz 29-211 2,743,445 5/56 Lerner 156 2,767,283 10/56 Jung 200-133 2,777,118 1/57 Sundt 200133 2,794,980 6/57 Reilly et a1. 11 2,819,858 1/58 Mittendorf 200133 2,898,519 8/59 Foster 317-101 WHITMORE A. WILTZ, Primary Examiner.

JOHN F. CAMPBELL, Examiner. 

1. THE METHOD OF MAKING ELECRIC CIRCUIT ASSEMBLIES EACH HAVING COMPONENTS HAVING PIN-LIKE BODIES WITH TERMINALS AT EACH END WHICH COMPRISES FASTENING TO A STRIP OF INSULATING MATERIAL OF LENGTH SUFFICIENT TO MAKE A PLURALITY OF ASSEMBLIES (A) A PRINTED WIRING PATTERN FOR MAKING THE DESIRE CIRCUIT INTERCONNECTION BETWEEN THE COMPONENTS OF EACH ASSEMBLY AND (B) AN ALIGNED PAIR OF REGULARLY SPACED CLIPS FOR THE END TERMINALS OF EACH COMPONENTS TO EACH ASSEMBLY ALONG SEPARATE PATH TRANSSOME PART OF THE PATTERNS AND WITH ONE CLIP OF EACH PAIR HAVING A PLUG-IN PRONG PROJECTING FROM THE STRIP, FEEDING COMPONENTS TO EACH ASSEMBLY ALONG SEPARATE PATHS TRANSVERSE TO THE STRIP INTO POSITIONS OF THE SAME REGULAR SPACING AS THE RESPECTIVE PAIRS OF CLIPS, PRESSING THE COMPONENTS AND CLIPS TOGETHER AS A GROUP TO ELECTRICALLY AND MECHANICALLY CONNECT THE CLIPS TO THE END TERMINALS OF THE COMPONENTS, PERFORMING FURTHER OPERATIONS ON THE PRONGS, CUTTING THE STRIPS INTO INDIVIDUAL ASSEMBLIES, AND HOLDING THE INDIVIDUAL ASSEMBLIES BY THE PRONGS WHILE APPLYING A PROTECTIVE COATING TO THE STRIP AND THE COMPONENTS ASSEMBLED THEREON. 